Trolley-support



' (No Model.)

B. BLAMEY. TROLLEY SUPPORT.

Patented Mar. 9, 1897.

WITNESSES UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD BLAMEY, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO EDGARl/VHITMORE, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

TROLLEY-SU PPO RT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 578,539, dated March 9,1897. Application filed December 4,1895. Serial No. 571,035. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWARD BLAMEY, a citizen of the United States, and aresident of Jersey City, in the county of Hudson and State of NewJersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Trolley-Supports, of which the following is a specification, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof, in which similarletters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

This invention relates to trolleys for electric railways, andparticularly to that class thereof which employ overhead conductors, inwhich the liability of the trolley-wheel to be detached therefrom isVery great by reason of the oscillation or jolting of the car, whichfrequently results in throwing the trolley-arm downward, thusdisengaging the trolley-wheel from the conductor-wire and causing greatinconvenience, especially on dark and stormy nights, when it isimpossible to see the conductor-wire; and the object of the invention isto prevent the trolley-wheel from being detached from the conductor-wireor thrown therefrom or to reduce to a minimum the possibility of suchdisengagement of said parts; and with this and other objects in view theinvention consists in the construction, combination, and arrangement ofparts hereinafter described and claimed.

fication, A represents an ordinary conductorwire, such as is usuallyemployed in railway systems of the class hereinbefore described, and Bthe trolley-arm, which is in practice connected with the car in theusual manner,

and said trolley-arm is provided with a main supporting frame or yoke 6,between the upper ends of which is pivoted the supplemental of which isdirected downward, as shown at d, and provided with adownwardly-depending arm or projection (1 in which is preferably formeda hole or opening (1 and formed within the closed lower end of the frameor yoke D is an upwardly-directed tubular extension E, in which isplaced a spring F.

Mounted within the upper end of the supplemental frame or yoke D is aspring-operated frame or yoke G, composed of side arms g, the lower endsof which are brought together at 9 and secured to or formed on the lowerend thereof is a tube 9 which is adapted to inclose the tube E and toslide freely thereon.

, The separate sides of the frame or yoke D are provided near theirupper ends with outwardly-directed transverse bows d, by means of whichthe pivotal connection between the frame or yoke D and the main frame oryoke is made through the agency of the pivotpins (1 and the inner orsupplemental frame or yoke G or the sides 9 thereof are provided neartheir upper ends with outwardlydirected shoulders or projections H,which move in vertical slots h, formed in the sides of the frame or yokeD, and passing transversely through the frame or yoke D and theshoulders or projections H is a tubular shaft K, on which thetrolley-wheel L is mounted. That portion of the tubular shaft K on whichthe trolley-Wheel is mounted is perforated, and said tubular shaft isadapted to be packed or filled with absorbing material of any preferredkind or class, and the ends of said shaft are closed by means of screwcaps or plugs, and in operation the tubular shaft is filled withlubricating material which passes into the middle thereof and throughthe perforations, thus keeping the same properly lubricated at alltimes.

Mounted on the tubular shaft K at each side of the trolley-wheel L andextending normally therefrom in a rearward direction are arms M, havingcircular heads provided on their front edges with ratchet-teeth m Ondirection of the trolley-wheel. These plates form means of attachmentfor the rack-bars 0, one of which latter is attached to each plate in aposition to engage the teeth in of the arms M. The object of theseplates D is to form means for securing the rack-bars to move with theyoke D and at the same time to extend over the side g of the yoke G andbring said rack-bars in their proper positions.

The arms M may be formed in sections, if desired, or of a single piece,and the opera tion will be readily understood from the foregoingdescription when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

The inner or supplemental yoke or frame G, in which the trolley-wheel ismounted, is supported normally by the spring F, and when the device isnot in operation this spring forces said inner frame upwardly, so thatthe shoulders or projections H will strike against the upper walls h ofthe vertical slots 72, as will be readily understood, and in thisposition of the inner frame the arms M will be thrown upwardly, as shownin dotted lines in Fig. 2. It will be observed, however, that in saidFig. 2 the inner frame or yoke G is depressed to its lowest position,this being the position of the parts when the trolley is in operationand the trolley-wheel pressing upon the conductor-wire A, and in thisposition of said parts the arms M will project horizontally at each sideof the trolley-wire, as shown in full lines in Fig. 1.

If during the operation of the device and by reason of the jolting oroscillation of the car caused by the passage of the same over a rough oruneven track the arm B should be suddenly depressed, the tendency wouldbe to throw down the trolley-wheel and disconnect the same from theconductor-wire; but with my improvement this result would be preventedby means of the spring-operated inner frame or yoke which carries thetrolleywheel and the arms M, said frame being thrown upward at suchtimes by the spring F, and the arms M being also thrown upward into theposition shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, in which position they wouldinclose the wire A, as clearly shown in said figure, and hold the samein line with the trolleywheel or the trolley-wheel in line therewith,and the latter would be returned to its proper position in contact withthe conductor-wire by means of the arm. B and the spring F.

In the operation of the device the yoke or frame D hangs in the positionshown in Fig. 2:, and this is the proper position thereof, and I mayalso connect with the lower end thereof at d a weight which would assistin holding said frame in said position.

The space between the guide arms or rods M and the frame thereof is suchas to guide the trolley-wheel to the proper position on theconductor-wire, although the trolley-wheel may have been thrown sidewisetherefrom or out of a direct line therewith, and the effect of the useof these guide arms or rods is such as to retain the trolley-wheel inproper contact with the conductor-wire at all times regardless of thecondition of the road or track or the movement of the car thereon. Itwill also be observed that when the trolley-wheel is in its lowestposition, as shown in Fig. 2, it projects a suitable distance above thetop of the frames bywhich it is supported, and by this arrangementIprovide means whereby the trolley-wheel is enabled to cross switches orcross-lines of conductor-wires, as shown at P in Fig. 1, and I alsoconnect the main outer yoke or frame with the trolley-arm by means of aswivel joint or coupling, as shown at R, which permits of the turning ofthe trolleysupport on the trolley-arm, so that said device maybeoperated in any direction, and, as will be seen on referring to thedrawings, the trolley-frame is supported in such a manner that itmaintains at all times the same relative position without regard to theangle of the trolley-arm, which in practice is variable, thus keepingthe guide rods or arms M entirely out the Way of any obstruction causedby cross-connections or otherwise.

It is evident that changes in and modifications of the constructionherein described may be made without departing from the spirit of myinvention or sacrificing its ad vantages, and I therefore reserve theright to make all such alterations therein and modifications thereof asfairly come within the scope of the invention.

Having fully described my invention, its construction and operation, Iclaim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. The combinationwith a trolley-arm, of a main frame or yoke connected therewith, thesides of which are directed upwardly, a supplemental frame or yokepivotally connected with the upper end thereof, the sides of which aredirected upwardly, and a springsupported frame or yoke mounted and freeto slide therein, in the upper end of which is mounted a trolley-wheel,substantially as shown and described. I

2. The combination with a trolley-arm, of a main frame or yoke connectedtherewith, the sides of which are directed upwardly, a supplementalframe or yoke pivotally connected with the upper end thereof, the sidesof which are directed upwardly, and a springsupported frame or yokemounted and free to slide therein, in the upper end of which is mounteda trolley-wheel, and guide arms. or rods mounted on the shaft. on whichthe trolley-wheel is mounted and means whereby they may be automaticallyraised or lowered, substantially as shown and described.

3. The combination with a trolley-arm, of a main frame or yoke connectedtherewith, the sides of which are directed upwardly, a supplementalframe or yoke pivotally connected with the upper end thereof, the sidesof which are directed upwardly, and a springsupported frame or yokemounted and free to slide therein, in the upper end of which is mounteda trolley-wheel, and guide arms or rods mounted on the shaft on whichthe trolley-wheel is mounted, and means whereby they may beautomatically raised or lowered, and the shaft on which thetrolley-Wheel is mounted being perforated and provided with a packing orfilling of absorbing material, substantially as shown and described.

4. In a trolley-support, the combination with a trolley-arm, of a mainframe or yoke connected therewith by means of a swivel joint orcoupling, a supplemental frame or yoke pivotally suspended therein, aspringsupported frame or yoke mounted in said supplemental frame oryoke, and provided at its upper end with shoulders or projections whichare free to slide in Vertical slots formed therein, a trolley-wheelmounted on a shaft which extends through said spring-supported frame oryoke, and guide arms or rods provided with heads which are mounted onsaid shaft each side of said trolley-wheel, and means whereby the samemay be automatically raised or lowered, substantially as shown anddescribed.

5. The combination with a trolley-arm, of a frame or yoke which is.connected therewith a frame or yoke which is connected therewith bymeans of a swivel joint or coupling, and in which is mounted asupplemental frame or yoke, Within which is mounted a spring-supportedsliding or depressible frame or yoke, in which is mounted atrolley-wheel, and guide arms or rods mounted at each side of saidtrolley-wheel, and means for raising and I lowering the same,substantially as shown and described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed myname, in'presence of the subscribing witnesses, this 30th day ofNovember, 1895.

EDWARD BLAMEYQ Witnesses:

G. GERsT, M. A. KNOWLES.

